Ottavio Dantone

Ottavio Dantone

Graduating in organ and harpsichord at the “Giuseppe Verdi” Conservatory in Milan, Ottavio Dantone started a successful concert career at a very young age, concentrating on ancient music. He was the first Italian performer to win first prize in two of the most important harpsichord competitions in the world: the International Competition of Paris (1985) and the International Competition of Bruges (1986).

In 1996 he was appointed Musical Director of the Accademia Bizantina Orchestra, based in Ravenna. He has also collaborated regularly with other important orchestras (using both ancient and modern instruments) such as the Pomeriggi Musicali di Milano, the ORT Orchestra della Toscana, the WDR Orchester in Koeln, the Orchestra dell’Accademia di Santa Cecilia di Roma, the Orchestra of the Teatro Real de Madrid, the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala and the Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice di Venezia.

With the Accademia Bizantina he has led acclaimed performances in such concert halls as Barbican Center in London, Konzerthaus in Wien, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Cité de la Musique de Paris, Théâtre des Champs Elysées de Paris, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Festival de Musique de Montreux-Vevey, lnternational Music Festival in Istanbul, Metropolitan Museum in New York, Auditorium del Lingotto in Torino, Ravenna Festival, Bologna Festival and Accademia Chigiana in Siena.

In March 1999 he made a successful operatic debut conducting the world première of Giulio Sabino by Giuseppe Sarti at the Teatro Alighieri di Ravenna (with the Accademia Bizantina).  Since then, he has led important productions including Nina, ossia la pazza per amore by Paisiello at the Teatro alla Scala, Piccolo Teatro in Milan and Ravenna Festival, Le Comte Ory, Così fan tutte at the Theaters of the “Circuito lirico lombardo”, L’Olimpiade in Jesi, Ravenna, Modena, Piacenza and Reggio Emilia. He has had remarkable success conducting Marin Faliero (with Mariella Devia and Michele Pertusi) at the Teatro Regio in Parma, where he also conducted Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. His successful performances also include Il matrimonio segreto at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo, L’Orlando at the Teatro Aligheri in Ravenna and at the Teatro Valli in Reggio Emilia, Orfeo, Il ritorno di Ulisse in patria and L’incoronazione di Poppea at the Teatro Ponchielli in Cremona, Teatro Grande in Brescia, Teatro Fraschini di Pavia and Teatro Sociale in Como.

He has made many radio and television recordings in Italy and abroad. His discography (as soloist and as conductor) includes several international award winners. Since 2003 he has recorded regularly for both Decca and Naïve.

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November Program: Marion Verbruggen & the Italian Baroque Recorder